I just thought I would share this, as I am on-record on this forum as saying I didn't much care for Standing at the Sky's Edge when it came out. It didn't "sit" with what I had expected from the new release back in 2012, I guess ?

Well at Holmfirth "it" happened, something of a cathartic moment - and I've been mulling it over ever since that it took the live performance I'd heard to take me back to revisit the album. Well I've had SATSE on in the car almost incessantly since Roundhouse, when the vibe that started at Holmfirth got stronger, and I now have to eat my words.

So at Holmfirth, we got a taste of "Seek it" - the only time so far this tour, and that kicked it off. Richard ballading [which has been my absolute hotspot for everything Hawley to date, that is]. But the winter/woods combo was stunning, and at Roundhouse it was unbelievably brilliant with Dean's drumbeat artistry and the three guitars at full throttle. Albeit I was hugging the front rail at Holmfirth and too close to get the full sound quality, Roundhouse was the ultimate SATSE revelation.

Now if I listen carefully to the thread of the album I think it's a masterpiece, and no wonder it did well commercially. No blushes please, but I can hear echoes of Pink Floyd in there (one of my favourite bands) and if I was really getting into the detail, Barclay James Harvest, Stackridge, Wishbone Ash, 10cc, The Moody Blues and Greenslade all rolled into one. Apologies to those too tender in years to remember those folks. I even heard the Beatles influence (Sgt Peppers) in there. And all created within a story that seems to flow & unfold through the album.

So there we are - 3 years later and I'm gonna have to say - it's sublime rock with attitude.

Perhaps that's why live music has always been a big part of my life. And proof that it takes a bit more than the studio-recorded version to kick something off, for me. And "Don't stare at the sun" has to possibly be the most haunting rock ballad from the catalogue.

Anyone want to discuss or have any thoughts ?

Last edited by jamesy on Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Absolutely, I totally get that. Everybody has different tastes in art, and that's beautiful. We're all individuals, so it's perfectly logical that some people would like one thing but not another. That's what makes for diversity and good conversation and so forth. I'm sure we've all got examples of art we didn't care for, but later revisited it and found something we liked. That's totally normal and happens all the time.

However. Something that really bothers me, same church, different pew: unfortunately, there are also people who look down on or begrudge the mere fact of an artist's evolution. That's not what you're talking about, at all, but a whole other thing, and I think it's kind of ugly.

Change is vital, but often hard to accept, and some people are just having none of it. With every new and different piece of art someone puts out, there's always going to be people who don't understand that it's necessary for an artist's survival, and even for their sanity, to try making different things. It's how they stay fresh and active and challenge themselves, otherwise they have real trouble keeping their heads in the game.

Conversely, there's people who slack off by lazily phoning it in, just churning out the same thing over and over. But eventually, that blows up in their faces. Stagnation is death for any true artist.

I think about some of the artists I love, who have had long and/or diverse careers, and find themselves confronted with people who don't think they should ever do anything other than what they've previously done. Those opinions come from fans, non-fans, critics, a lot of people.

Probably one of the best examples I can think of is Elvis Costello, who is my very favorite musician. There are people like me who eagerly await how a musician evolves from album to album, and even from song to song, and then there's people who just want to live in the past. They get stuck on the old stuff and stubbornly refuse to even acknowledge the new. That's what leads to pigeonholing. Doing what he's wanted has cost Costello some fans, but it's also gained him many. Even some grudging appreciation from a few sticks in the mud.

It's just about giving new stuff a chance, and understanding that it's an artist's perfect right to do new things. That's particularly important because the art actually belongs to the artist; they're simply being generous enough to share it with the rest of us. There's no law that says they have to do that at all, so it honestly irks me when people slag stuff off without giving it a fair shake.

The cover was very nice but some bugger had written their name across it.

I think I played Down In The Woods for three hours on repeat when it first came out - and to this day my gruff squeal of approval when this kicks in at a gig is met by a clout round the back of my head by the Missus...

The exception was Time Will Bring You Winter, that one I had to hear live before I fully appreciated it. Unfortunately that was also the one I fainted to a few years ago in London. Even when I hear it now feel myself getting giddy again as it's quite a hypnotic track. Fortunately it hasn't happened again as I didn't enjoy missing the rest of the gig

I did have trouble with Serenade of Blue but after a few days it started playing in my head so then it was fine.

Most of Richard's stuff sticks in my head straightaway, but then as he admts himself if you can remember it the next day it must be good.

"In your heart lies long term lonelinessIt sits there like an unexploded hand grenadeTime ticks away"

I was writing the lyrics to seek it on a scrap of paper in Yellowarch and humming and strumming along etc and Johnny Trier happened to come by and had a quick look over my shoulder at the words I'd scribbled down and he saw I'd written"Unexploded hand grenade"amongst the gibberish and mindless mumblings of a raving fool and he said and I quote

GODDAMMIT. Don't say shit like that, man! You know you'll be over here on your eventual "Best Of" tour. State fairs and casinos, it's going to be fantastic. You can't call it "An Evening with Richard Hawley" though, because it's going to kick off at like 4 PM, since you will then be hitting the hay no later than 7. Just think of it! It'll be you, your oxygen tank, an armchair, and somebody to turn your music pages. You'll be down to one guitar because the constant switching aggravates your rheumatism, and who needs that? Tour merchandise includes the stale candy that you only ever find at your grandma's house, handmade sweaters for cats, and custom-designed cans of Ensure. I can't wait!

Do you mean it, you're never coming? I might cry a little. Seriously, I need to know so I can start saving now. *looks for suitcase*

GODDAMMIT. Don't say shit like that, man! You know you'll be over here on your eventual "Best Of" tour. State fairs and casinos, it's going to be fantastic. You can't call it "An Evening with Richard Hawley" though, because it's going to kick off at like 4 PM, since you will then be hitting the hay no later than 7. Just think of it! It'll be you, your oxygen tank, an armchair, and somebody to turn your music pages. You'll be down to one guitar because the constant switching aggravates your rheumatism, and who needs that? Tour merchandise includes the stale candy that you only ever find at your grandma's house, handmade sweaters for cats, and custom-designed cans of Ensure. I can't wait!

Do you mean it, you're never coming? I might cry a little. Seriously, I need to know so I can start saving now. *looks for suitcase*

I have a similar issue but going in the opposite directon. Robbie Fulks - he'll play a tour of Swedish kitchens and supermarkets, but can I persuade him to come to the UK? Oh no. He was dragged over here last summer by Jon Langford and the Mekons and I ended up seeing him doing three support slots in the far north of England and Scotland, including one on the Isle of Skye in front of 10 people. The only answer to seeing him "properly" was to save up and come over to your side of the pond and so I did - caught him at the Mucky Duck in Houston, playing with (bows down in reverence) Redd Volkaert. Totally worth it.

So - get theesen a ticket for the February tour and get yourself over here! We'll show you round and tell you where to get Henderson's Relish from.

You feel my pain!! Well done you, that sounds like a great time. And you're right, there's definitely something to be said for seeing people in their native habitats. As it happens, I have been wanting to make a trip over for a long time, to just knock around, no touristy stuff. All kinds of places I want to go, just for the beauty and the landscapes and the people. For example, I desperately want to visit London, but all I want to do is just go to vintage markets in Spitalfields, and sit and drink and people-watch, and go bookshopping, and take architectural photos of the entire East End before Boris tears it all the rest of the fucking way down. That's it, I don't give a shit about the rest of it. But I haven't done it yet. You know, life gets in the way. I've gotten to do a lot of domestic traveling, which has been lovely, but this is one trip I really have wanted to take. And this would be an excellent motivator to get me focused on that goal. Plus hell yeah, I could get hammered with you guys!

I am currently totally fooked after that UK tour laid out on the bed sneezing my head off feeling totally wrecked....but happy what was achieved mind,I'm not moaning.....much so god knows what I'd be like after an American tour....I remember what I was like after the last one

Aw, buddy! You take care of you. Yeah, I'm picking up what you're putting down, and we're not getting any younger, either. Okay, I'm only going to pout for like 30 more seconds and then I'm done, I swear.